Private Love & Duty.. Water & Oil

[Aayla Shan]

She really hoped he could follow directions this one time. Aayla had been busy, ever since Nimdok had stepped down the work, had been constant. Even so much that she was contemplating asking why the Silvers didn't share this workload more. She knew it wasn't only her, but it was hard to feel like they weren't pulling her in twelve directions simultaneously. That being said, Kadan should have been on the Tenchu Dreadnought by the time she had gotten back to it. She had clearly just seen some form of combat, but didn't seem hurt whatsoever. Luckily for her, the Force was powerful, and abundant. As were a Jedi's friends in these dark times and days.

Powering down her interceptor, Aayla moved from seat, to swinging over the cockpit lid, landing with a light oomph, but not breaking stride, stomping off towards the inner workings of the Tenchu, one of the aides rushing up to her.

'Hey, how did that go? Central wants to know if you recovered the asset.'

"Central didn't tell me they wanted me to recover that asset, they asked me to investigate a distress beacon, I did that. Asset was alive last I saw"

She responded, smiling a bit and walking past him. Though he of course would pursue.

'Hey uhhh, the dude in your room. Whose that? Like, is he a uhm, Jedi Knight too... Or a boy--boyfriend... Knight... This is all coming out wrong"

"Little bit..."

Aayla agreed, nodding and smirking at him. She knew this particular man Raj had interest in her, but he had never actually been.... That bold. Not like she would get him in trouble, though she could; she simply attributed it to her working so closely with the different divisions during her tenure as a Shadow. It made sense that most would wish to date within, but Aayla had already chosen her person. For better, or for worse she would stick with him...

"Uhm, nevermind. I'll relay that information back to Central. If anything comes up I'll uhm yeah, good day Mam..."

He offered a salute, to which Aayla would nod her acceptance of it, continuing on and glancing back once at him out of curiosity. When did all that start? The more she focused on duty, the more these would be lovers seemed to pop out of absolutely nowhere... Water & Oil, as far as she was concerned. She wondered at times if a relationship was even the correct choice for her. Though she loved Kadan, and wouldn't do anything to risk what they had.

Within a few minutes, she would be walking into her private quarters. The only difference in them today should have been Kadan standing, or sitting inside. To which she would jog over and tackle-hug him, practically growling her relief to be able to see, and be near him again.

Kadan Scipora

 

[Kadan Scipora]

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LOVE AND DUTY​

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Looking down at the case of insects he had been studying, Kadan sighed. His studies had been leading him closer to briging and building the mind off other sentient life, yet he seemed to be making little progress as far as he was concerned. His master had been rather gifted at such things, linking minds, inspiring others via the force, and yet here he remained unable to link his tiny ant colony together. Kiara. The thought of his departed master struck him, and he felt a flash of annoyance at Kiara Ayres's memory. She had seemingly picked him for little reason other than he was nearly knighted, and was grooming him for some unknown goal. Little did he know, that goal was to be a stand in for her diplomatic events, concluding with her dying in the midst of a conflict with the Brotherhood. Kadan's hand traced the scar that stretched across his stomach, the memory still fresh from his conflict on the world of the Loa-Mon.​

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He'd nearly gotten himself killed, made a fool of himself, and only by pure luck had he managed to escape near disaster. Frustrated, he moved away from his desk, his mood darkening as his thoughts turned bitter. Here he was thinking knighthood would suit him, and yet, it had been a bitter pill to swallow the entire time. He felt something warmer move his way however, and his frown shifted to that of a gentle smile. Turning on his heel, he was met with a welcome sight, as Aayla's presence was fully recognized.​

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Immediately, he shelved the dark thoughts away, and opened his arms for the soon to be embrace that awaited him. At least this could steam the darkness that stirred within him. At least he still had something to hold onto.​

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Aayla Shan​

 

[Aayla Shan]

Aayla had purged the negative thoughts regarding Kiara from memory, but wouldn't forget the woman. It had been a while, after all. It was time to move forward. As she was sure everyone would eventually. Once the Silvers had a chance to collect their thoughts, they would press on as they had done before. Perseverance was just as important to their order as anything else. Clutching at Kadan for a while, she would loose a groan and begin laughing to herself.

"Why is the galaxy always on fire somewhere?"

She asked, immediately moving to get ready to move into the refresher, but kicking off her shoes first.

"I actually have so much I have to talk to you about. Valery, then what happened on Coruscant. Oh, and then there's Aleena. What an interesting Jedi..."

She stopped then, eyes snapping across the room to rest on a package on her counter. She walked to it immediately, removing the twine, then the parcel to reveal a box. She seemed to realize what it was halfway through this process, and would spin on heel moving to put it down in sight, but out of the way.

"I might be stepping away from my duties for a year, or two. I'll be on Denon with Master Noble. Force willing. She's asked me for my help, and I've agreed."

Aayla would say, gently raising herself up on a cabinet with ease, and sitting crisscross applesauce atop. Elbows finding the inside of her legs as she peered over at the other. Not wanting to force herself on him too much, she realized how much she did talk working with the Shadows. And how much information she divulged when she didn't need too. Not that she was casing Kadan in any way, but practice definitely turned to habit.

She would let him speak, and clear his mind. He had told her bits a piece of things, but she knew sometimes it was hard for Kadan to just outright speak his mind. She couldn't help but remember them fighting in that cave. Minds spun by some decrepit Sith. He had a peculiar type of rage. As any honest Jedi would admit. It was impossible to not feel, it was how they handled those feelings that earned them their name.

For now, she would begin removing the baubles and such from her hair, which was growing back quite nicely.

Kadan Scipora

 

[Kadan Scipora]

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LOVE AND DUTY​

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Feeling her in his arms was like a wave of relief, and her laughter eased his burden tremendously. Sighing, Kadan tightened his hug on Aayla, and reluctantly released her. She had always been a bit of a chatter box, unable to keep herself in check when she got going; he had always found it charming, though she had insisted it was to her own detriment. Her hair was coming back, more lovely than ever, though he didn't care how short or long she wore it. In his mind, she looked great all the time. He let her slip past him, seemingly trying to relax as she mentioned several thoughts that passed through her mind. "I'd love to hear all about it." He said softly, turning to face her, making a hand motion as he gently re-positioned his ant farm closer to the wall.​

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Seemed work had taken her focus elsewhere, as it had for Kadan as well. His recent promotion to knighthood had lead to him being more focused on his studies of the force, and all that it entailed; both good and ill. "Well, so long as it satisfies your needs, I can't see much issue with the prospect." He commented, moving past Aayla as he would take a seat upon his bed, his hand absent mindedly reached out, and the sheathed vibro-blade came to his hands. "I have a few locations I'm going to head out to shortly, just me and 4U. I think I know where that Sith Lord we encountered is hiding, and I think he might be connected to my studies." Kadan said, his tone a bit tense as he recalled how the pair nearly died against the mysterious Sith Lord; the very one who had killed him mother. He paused, his gaze leaving Aayla, and finding anything else in the room to look at. "I'm still angered about Master Ayres, if you're wondering." Perhaps it was arrogant of him to hold death against his old master, but the woman hadn't mended the hole in their relationship. Now, she most certainly could not.​

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Aayla Shan​

 

[Aayla Shan]

"I'd love to hear all about it." He said softly, turning to face her, making a hand motion as he gently re-positioned his ant farm closer to the wall.

She would notice the hand motion, and follow its course to the ant farm. Leaning over and looking through the side with a giggle.

"Little old for an ant farm, aren't you? Anyway, just don't let any ants loose on the Tenchu. I can only imagine that will be a terrible bill for pest removal..."

Aayla said, forgetting briefly what she wanted to talk to him about, and instead listening to what he had to say to her.

"Well, so long as it satisfies your needs, I can't see much issue with the prospect."

Well Chit, she had completely forgotten about the most important part. Being Master Jairdain and here quite literally confirming The Force seemingly wanted Aayla dead. She stopped moving on the spot, staring forward, then deadpanning him... Not this time...

"Uhm... Yeah, for sure."

She swallowed hard then, realizing that it was looming... And she had no idea where it was coming from. Or who, other than some Mandalorian...

He commented, moving past Aayla as he would take a seat upon his bed, his hand absent mindedly reached out, and the sheathed vibro-blade came to his hands.

That was going to shove a Vibro-Blade through her heart...

She inhaled, and smiled at him.

"Levos, you mean? And you're taking him on al-... Well, Not to talk down on R2, but... I sorta' specialize in this kind of thing. I'll go with you?"

Aayla almost seemed disappointed he didn't consider taking her along, her piercing eyes resting on him as she tried to resist grilling him on the topic.


Then he spoke of Master Ayres... Hell that would always be... Well..

"You should be... Better than the other robots at the order. You work with someone for so long, and then when they die you barely shed a tear... Cremate them and move along..."

It was the first time Kadan would have heard her say anything negative about the Silvers, though her reasoning was attached to the comment itself.

Her motions became a little more hazardous, snatching things up as she thought about it. Consolidating all the things she would need for her shower.

"That's insensitive of me... I know you two weren't... On greatest of terms. I just hate the way the Jedi try to teach us to be ignorant of such human qualities. I didn't want to hold a candlelight vigil for Kiara, I wanted t-..."

Mhm... Thinking before speaking caused her to just shake the rest of that comment off. Grabbing a towel and holding quite a bit of things in her hands.

"Be right back..."

Aayla said, disappearing into the refresher for the next thirty minutes or so.

Kadan Scipora

 

[Kadan Scipora]

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Love and Duty​

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Of course she was going to notice the ant farm. Kadan's face flushed at the teasing from his girlfriend. "I've been practicing my mind melding abilities. Master Kiara perfected battle meditation and various other powers of the mind, so I read from her notes that this is the most efficent way of practicing. Use smaller minds, link them together, and slowly work on up to bigger and larger things." He sighed as he made another hand gesture. "As you can tell, I'm not making too much progress."​

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Kadan's face twitched at the mention of the name 'Levos'. The Jedi hadn't said anything, but the Darth had haunted him at the back of his mind for many a night now. Part of him was bothered by the fight at Felucia, and how easily they had been bested. The pair had overcome every challenge before them thus far, and to nearly be swatted away and beaten so easily by someone? It was chilling to say the least, at least to Kadan. "I was hoping you;d say that actually, I'd like the two of us to face him together. 4U is better than most droids at combat but, well, he's still just an astromech." Kadan smiled, locking eyes with Aayla as he was rather certain in this matter. Still, something felt off, and he couldn't put his finger on it. Aayla's mind felt...shifted? Scattered? No, something else. Something troubled her, and yet, he couldn't quite pin it down.​

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Then it clicked with him. Ah, right, Kiara. The two had been in a rather stressful situation together, and he knew that Kiara and Aayla had something of a connection from what he knew. Still, while he was angered at his master, he didn't expect such a reaction from Aayla.​

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"There's no shame in showing emotion, but we need to not let ourselves be ruled by it. We can still remember her as she was, Aayla, and in time I'll learn to let this go as well." Kadan knew he was a hypocrite for saying such things. After all, it had been his caring for Aayla that had allowed them to survive their encounter with Levos the first time. His study of the force had opened his eyes to many things, and he himself prided his more open minded nature of such things. Still, she was becoming distraught, and things like this were very much not to his liking. "Aayla-" He reached out a hand for her, only to find she had left. Looking to the blade in his hand, he sighed and gently moved it back against the wall. He sat upon his bed, cross legged, and took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself and wait for her return.​

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Aayla Shan​

 

[Aayla Shan]

Her time in the refresher was spent mostly standing around under a stream of hot water, pondering why she would hold back something as serious as death from Kadan. Though, she had always been like that hadn't she? Selfless, even to a fault. She couldn't have that kind of crap on his mind if they were going to tackle Levos... Beyond that, she couldn't help but admit it upset her than he would even consider going without her. It was their mission. She didn't think he had a right to shut her out right at the end. Did he think she didn't want to go?

He had an ant farm, was that... Him being a smarty pants, or being uninterested? Alright, that was just silly of her, honestly...

Her mind went back to Levos... steadily working at scrubbing the grime out of her hair. He did say he was hoping she would ask, but for some reason him not starting with that peeved her. She would just have to be a grown up about it though.

"There's no shame in showing emotion, but we need to not let ourselves be ruled by it. We can still remember her as she was, Aayla, and in time I'll learn to let this go as well."

Oh hell, was Kadan really schooling her now? He must've forgotten she was a Shadow now. She had to take a psyche exam to get her newfound position. And she was also quite essentially not a person anymore. Not on paper anyway. He couldn't open any book, or ledger and show his girlfriend's name. Aayla was a ghost now. It suited her though. Maybe she was indeed being a little too touchy. He needed her, just like she needed him.

Eventually, she would return, having gotten dressed in the bathroom, and moved clean across the way to hop up on the bed with him, and snuggle into his grasp, turning away from him with a sigh.

"Make sure I know everything about Levos before you go Kadan..."

She mumbled weakly, a little tired honestly. It hadn't hit her this hard for a couple weeks, but being this near him, perhaps her body just felt relaxed. And her eyes would close. Though she wasn't asleep just yet.

"We'll handle it together..."

Kadan Scipora

 

[Kadan Scipora]

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Love and Duty​

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The paths they walked were indeed deviating, though that didn't mean they still couldn't be linked. Their minds could be expanded and intertwined when they so wished it, but the nature of Aayla's work often meant she needed to hide secrets from him. It wasn't something he enjoyed, but it was something he had to respect. She was a Shadow, and as such, she had her own secrets to keep.​

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As Aayla returned, Kadan's focus came back to her, finding a slightly damp Aayla moving into him embrace, and a smile broke out across his face. His arms held her firmly, fingertips taking in the shape of her form, and his lungs exhaling as he left behind the stress to focus on the here and now with her. She asked that he tell her everything about Levos, and that goal was something he wasn't sure if he could preform. "Moment I find something, you'll know." He said softly, trying to be comforting, and knowing that there was something within Aayla that she desperately wished to keep concealed.​

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With her back to him, he leaned into her back, setting his chin on her clothed shoulder. "We'll overcome anything that is set before us, just as we always have, and always will." His glaze traveled past the vibro-sword on the floor, and fixated on the ants that moved about with a fervor in the farm.​

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So many minds moving so diligently, but blind to the world that they were trapped in. It made him wonder if just as the insects, so too were he and Aayla. Two small figures trapped in a world far outside of their understanding. Though just as the ants had their community to draw meaning and strength from, so too did the two of them have each other.​

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Force willing, they would have each other.​

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Aayla Shan​